


The Gloaming

by RaeMaddox



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Ereloy, F/M, Post-Canon, Slow Burn, Spoilers, may eventually turn into smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-09 01:36:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10400805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaeMaddox/pseuds/RaeMaddox
Summary: Slow burn Ereloy (prepare for the long haul). What happens after zero dawn, so definitely spoilers.Aloy has lost contact with Sylens. She and Erend set off to find him.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Aloy stepped through the gates of Meridian for the first time in years. Guards stood at attention in the same familiar armor. As she passed she heard one whisper to another, "that's the girl. She's the one who saved the Sun King, and tamed the metal devils." She hated that. First, that most people still referred to her as girl; despite the fact that she was now 23 it drove her mad. She was small in stature and her features were soft. She hadn't aged; the only scar just to the right of her eye and the length of her hair showed that any time had passed. The second was that there were few places she could travel where people didn't lean in and whisper quietly to each other about her. After years of being an outcast from society, the fame she received from her adventures didn't suit her

The city felt the same. The smell of incense and spices came wafting out of a small shop nearby. Merchants called for her to come into their stalls, telling her the beauty's they had in store. An old man clipped her shoulder as she stared up to the palace that stood gleaming before her. His wooden crate of citrus fruit tumbled to the ground. Frantically he dropped to his knees and began to gather his goods dusting each off and begging for her forgiveness. 

Aloy knelt beside him and reached for the nearest piece, "please. It's my fault." 

The man continued to bumble about how he'd disgraced himself "in front of one so noble."

"Stop" Aloy said sternly catching the man’s eye. “I’m no different than anyone here" she whispered as the nearby patrons of the market had begun to watch. She handed him the last piece of fruit, and helped him to his feet as he thanked her one last time before he shuffled off into the crowd. 

The market quickly returned to its former bustling self as she stepped through the golden gates and up the wide palace steps. 

She didn't know who to turn to. The lodge didn't handle this kind of problem. Only small one or two man operations, mainly focused on hunting great beasts. If she had asked the Nora matriarchs for help, they would have declined help to outsiders or coward in fear. They had grown so much since she had first joined them, but deep down they were the same at heart. 

The line of nobles outside the gates today was short. Only two people were in line so she decided to wait there. She hadn't spoken to the king since she was asked to represent her tribe in negotiations just after hades was defeated. She wonder if he would grant her an audience. She wondered if he had changed if his determination to unite the tribes had dwindled or if he had found another adviser like the one he lost. 

Alloy was next. How would she explain this to him? She had to try. A slender man came to ask her name. She told him. He asked what her business was. She told him, "I'm an old acutance in need of help." He mumbled about how vague she was in a very snobby manner and wandered off. A few seconds later he returned. 

"To my surprise the king will see you" he said again in that snobbish voice. He led her up the stairs to the same throne where Avad sat. A small boy stood in front of him with a grazer made of bits of cloth and sticks made of smooth ridge wood. He seemed to be about 3 and was dressed in similar robes threaded with gold. An old woman bent down and whispered something on his ear and the boy ran skipping back into the palace and the woman struggled to keep up.  
Avad turned to Aloy and greeted her with a warm smile. "Aloy!" He shouted as he grabbed her and brought her into his embrace. Something she would have never expected as she awkwardly patted his back. He released her "I thought we'd never hear from you again." Aloy had a clear look of confusion on her face. As Avad tried to explain himself to her. "We hadn't heard from you in so long. I sent a scout to the sacred land to find you but the Nora refused to tell him anything, only that he had no business with you." 

Aloy let out a sharp laugh "Ya that sounds like the Nora. Who was that boy? The one here just a moment ago?" 

"My son." Aloy saw a light behind Avads eyes as he spoke. "A king must have an heir. Come let's speak some place more comfortable" she followed him to a sitting area. Men carried in glasses of cold water in ornate bronze cups as she sank into one of the cushioned seats. "So what have you come here to discuss? You need help with something?" 

"Yes... I..." she trailed off trying to gather her thoughts and fully explain. "I've been keeping in contact with a friend, someone who knows about the old ones. He was digging for more information and I think he may have found something." 

"What did he find?"

"I can't be sure, a few months ago I lost communication with him. We weren't in constant contact but occasionally I would receive updates or bits of what he had found. And now nothing.” 

The Sun king looked puzzled. "So what do you need from me?"

"I don't know, I'm planning to travel to his base. See if I can find any clues to where he may have gone or what he was digging into. The problem is it's in the middles of shadow Carja land, Eclipse territory in fact. I'm afraid if he has gone, they may have moved back in." 

"Take as many of my men as you need, the tribes are as peaceful as I have ever seen them. I'm sure we can spare a few."

"Thank you" Aloy stood to go. 

"In fact you should speak to Erend about this."

"Is he here?" Aloy wasn't surprised to hear his name. She had been expecting to see him at the king’s side when she first arrived. And was disappointed when he wasn't there. 

"Yes, he's still captain of the vanguard. He's out training with new recruits now." Avad was searching her face for a hint of what she was thinking but Aloy was always skillful at hiding her thoughts. "He's usually in the tavern by the barracks in the evening, though he doesn't drink much now."

"Thank you again." Aloy nodded.

"Feel free to visit again, break up the monotony of whining nobles. Maybe with good news next time."

"I will." She turned and headed back down into the city.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy finds Erend in the tavern on the edge of town.

The tavern was dimly lit and the furniture was a bit worn around the edges. A thin smoke hung in the air that smelled of tobacco and lavender, from men with pipes and incense around the tables and bar. It was empty for the most part. A few people gather in the corners and around the fire pit. One man sat in the furthest corner facing away from the door. He was speaking to a woman who was clearly the bar keep. Aloy approached the bar and requested two tankards of mead. The man behind the bar complied. She slowly walked over and stood behind him for a moment an gathered the courage to talk to him.

"Do you have a minute? I might need two." Aloy said voice shaking as she was unsure of what his response would be.

His Head lifted. Still facing away from her he spoke under his breathe, "Aloy?" He quickly turned and stood up. She forgot how much taller he was that her. His huge arms wrapped around her and hoisted her off her feet. She tried to keep the mugs steady as she hugged him back.

She laughed and couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by his response. "There's a lot of hugging happening today." Erend looked confused but still overjoyed as he sat her back down. 

"I just thought I would never see you again. Take a seat, take a seat." He pulled a chair from the next table over to be seated across from him.

"People keep saying that. And I'm not sure why." Aloy placed the tankards on the table and sat down. 

Erend watched her settle into the chair across from him. "Honestly I thought you were dead or you had completely forgot about me, well I mean all of us. I came to Mother’s Heart a year ago as a envoy. They told me Teersa had passed and no one had seen you since. I asked around for you and no one had any information. I didn't know what to think. So where have you been?" He smiled as he took the mead from the table and chugged nearly half the glass. 

"I went home, back to my tribe. I helped them rebuild after the eclipse attacked. For a time I trained new braves; so many of ours were lost. Teersa and I worked with outcasts and the ways the tribe deal with them. Especially the children. After she died it just wasn't the same. So little held me to there so I left." As Aloy spoke the story seemed to drain her spirit. 

She was reluctant to continue but Erend pressed on, "where did you go?" 

With a sigh Aloy continued. "To my true home where I grew up with Rost. I was shocked to find it empty and still standing when I returned. Most buildings don't stay vacant for long in the sacred lands. I spent most days in the ruins of the metal world. Looking for bits and pieces to trade. More clues to their lives.

"One day in Devils Thirst a building collapsed while I was in it." Erends brow furrowed and his concern shown plainly across his face. "I was asleep for two weeks. I broke my leg and a few ribs. A Nora medicine woman kept me alive. She cared for me for 3 months until I could walk with a crutch. After that the lodge let me work the hunting grounds for a little over a year. They kept me fed with a roof over my head that was all I could ask for." Aloy looked down into her mead and sat quietly for a moment. Her thumbs fiddled with the handle on the side. She could feel his eyes on her. 

"You're lucky to be alive. That could have killed you." Erend moved his hand to her shoulder as he spoke. Aloy noticed a softness in his voice. He only spoke this way when he really meant what he was saying. She preferred when he spoke with this tenderness. "I'm lucky that your alive." 

Aloy looked up from her cup. They locked eyes. She always marveled at the color of his eyes. They looked like glass, and now they looked as if they could shatter. She needed to change the subject. "Where have you been?"

Erend sat back in his chair, moving his hand back to his own mug. "Oh here and there. Mostly here, my position as captain of the vanguard takes up most of my time. Advising the king, training men, acting as a representative for Avad. Keeps me busy." Erend laughed and finished off his mead. He waved to the bar keep to bring another round. "But there's something else you want to talk about." 

"Huh?" Aloy was caught off guard by his statement. 

"Oh, come on!" A smile spread across his face as he arched one eyebrow. "You didn't come all this way just to catch up with old friends. I mean I know how interested you are in me. And if you came all this way for me that's just fine." He sat there with a little smirk on his face for a second before busting up laughing. He leaned back in his chair as his laugh filled the tavern. Aloy began to laugh too. Almost spitting out her mead. "Hey it's not that funny." Erend leaned in to the table again. "But seriously whatever you need I'm at your service. I still feel like I owe you one for saving my ass." 

"Which time?" Aloy shot back at him with a smile. 

The woman he had been speaking to when Aloy entered returned with two more mugs of mead. "This ones on us. It's an honor to serve you both."

"Thank you." Erend took the mug in front of him. Aloy nodded to the woman. "They never treat me this well in here."

Aloy took another sip and put back her mug. "It gets old." Erend looked at her a little puzzled. "My tribe tried to make me their anointed one. Of course I refused. But many of them still try to bow to me." 

"The Nora are an interesting group. No offense. I mean…” 

"No I understand." Aloy sounded a bit exasperated. 

"So why did you come here? Do we need to save the world again?" Erend laughed. Aloy did not. 

"Sylens is missing. Well I don't really know if he is or not. I need help to find out." He explained to him how they had kept in contact about all of their finds in the delves. Everything she had told the Sun King. But she had left a few details out intentionally. " I didn't need Avad to worry about me when he has a tribe to run. Sylens was trying to find out how Hades was activated. What made him start up after years of being dormant. He would tell me how or where he got his information. Hell he wouldn't tell me what he found, but I sensed he was getting close to something. And then nothing. I haven't heard a word from him in a few months so I decided to come looking." 

"And you need my help because?" He questioned her. Erend knew how capable she was. He knew traveling out to the boarders of their land would be easy for her and tracking was her specialty. He knew she didn't need him for this. 

Aloy looked down at her mug again. Erend could read her like a book. "Honestly there aren't many people I trust. I'm keeping this close to my chest and I know I can trust you help me keep it that way."

"If it were me. I would let people know. If there's impending danger then you shouldn't keep that from them. But I understand your reasoning." Aloy nodded in thanks. He had been someone she could depend on years ago and nothing seemed to change. It was like they picked up exactly where they left off. "In that case I think we should go alone."

"It would be easier. Wouldn't have to answer questions the whole way. Keep it between us?" She liked the idea. She had only agreed to take the kings men because Erend hadn't been there. 

"We can handle ourselves. We'll be fine." He patted her shoulder again. Aloy liked how he treated her like any other soldier. Never made her feel different. Since the first time they met he made her feel equal to him. Something she hadn't known before. 

"You're right. When can we leave?"

Erend looked surprised she had accepted so quickly. "I'll need a few days to get something's in order. I'll inform my second and give him what he needs. We'll need supplies." 

"I can get those." 

"How about dawn three days from now?" 

"Sounds great."

Erend smiled it had been a while since he had seen the heat of a real battle. He was looking forward to an adventure like the ones they had had years before. 

Aloy went to stand up. It had grown late. Erend quickly got to his feet. "Where are you staying?" 

Aloy was caught off guard again. "Oh I hadn't thought about it. Probably just outside the northern gates where the merchants gather. I'll set up camp there." Aloy walked towards the door. 

"Don't be silly. I'm you'll stay with me." Erend said from behind her. It wasn't a question it was a statement. "We'll need to make plans and I can't go searching for you every time I have a question or two. And besides my home is way too big for one person; it'll be nice to have some company." 

"Where is your Home?" Aloy has assumed he lives in the barracks with the other guardsmen. 

"It's Olins old place. Avad let me have it. He said something about the captain of the guard needing more comfort. Honestly it's too much for me. I'd be fine in a shack with a fire and a pelt or two. But you can't refuse a gift from a King."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow you came back! Thanks for reading. I know this chapter came fast they may not all come this fast but I'll try. Thanks again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two return to Erends new home.

The house looked the same except for the mess that had slowly built up over the years. Stacks of scrolls and pieces of parchment cover most desks and tables. Maps covers one of the walls in the main room. Each had notes along the edges and red x's and pins jutting out from important locations. A cache of training weapons lay in the corner. Bits of worn armor were scattered about the room. Erend frantically rushed into the room and began to straighten the stacks and put away the odds and ends. "Oh uh, I'm so sorry I wasn't expecting guests. The house has become my personal base for the vanguard." 

Aloy chuckled at his panic. "No believe me its fine. A lot nicer than the one room shack I've been living in." She wandered over to the vault door which still had a huge hole where Aloy had busted through it. Though the broken pieces had been removed. "I see you haven't fixed the vault yet."

He spun around with an armful of armor and clothing, dropping a glove as he did so. "Haven't had a need to. Nothing to hide. And I have fond memories associated with that." She arched at eyebrow at him. Then smiled. "So you will be sleeping in the master bedroom and I will take the spare." He headed up the stairs as he spoke. 

"No please I don't want to force you out of your bed. I'll take the spare. I'd be fine anywhere it's no problem." She followed him into the larger of the two bedrooms. 

He began putting away what he had in his arms. "No you are my guest. Guests get the nicer room."  
He closed the wardrobe door and turned back to her giving her a satisfied smile. "I'll go get some fresh water from the basin." He left though the same door they had enter through. 

Aloy sat down on the bed. He was right it was very soft. She slipped out of her shoes and propped her bow up against the small table beside the bed. She walked to the lantern on the wall and removed the glass covering. She found a candle and its holder on the table next to the bed and lit it. Returning to the bed Aloy began to undress. Her leather was heavy and sleeping without it tonight would be first time in a long time. She carefully folded each piece and placed it in the chair across from the bed till she was just in her brown tunic. It was thin and short perfect for this warm night. She went to the window and opened it to let the breeze pass through. She leaned out over the city below. It was beautiful. Lanterns and candles were lit in most windows and down the streets. The sky was clear and the light from the moon danced on the golden city. In the distance she could hear the sun priest chanting. And the smell of lavender found its way up from a merchant below. She breathed in deep. 

In that moment the door behind her creaked open. "The waters still cool if you want..." she spun around to see Erend at the door with a large bucket. Aloy let out a gasp as he looked up. "Oh! I..." he stared for a moment as Aloy tried to cover as much as she could with she every short very thin shirt. Erend caught himself quickly and spun around. "Shit! I... I'm sorry. I should go.” His ears and neck turned bright red. 

Aloy scrambled in to the bed and pulled the blanket up to cover herself. "No. No I'm covered. I'm sorry I didn't expect you to be back so fast. You have to hike to get water where I am from." 

"Are you sure? I mean I can just leave the water here." He slowly peaked over his shoulder to check that she was really covered. His face was as red if not more so than his ears. 

"Don't be silly really it's nothing." He turned to face her fully. And started for the basin. He filled it as they sat in awkward silence. Aloy looked nervously around the room. Trying to find anything to talk about. 

Erend finished transferring the water. "Well goodnight." He started quickly for the door. Dying to leave the tension of the silent room. 

"No wait." Aloy blurted out. She wanted him to stay but wasn't sure why. She moved her feet from the end of the bed and motion for him to come sit. 

As he came to sit he asked "is something wrong?" 

"No. No, I just wanted to thank you. You didn't have to agree to help me. You’re following me some place that could potentially be very dangerous on just a hunch. You didn't have to agree to come with me but you did so thank you." She looked at her hands. 

He stared at her for a moment. He didn't understand how a woman so fierce could in the blink of an eye become so vulnerable. "I want to. No need to thank me. I'm looking forward to it even. I've missed this. Danger, excitement and I can't think of any one better to do it with." Her hand found his. And their eyes met again. 

Erend stood up causing the moment to end, too quickly for Aloy. "Well I'm gonna head to bed. Good night Aloy." He bent down to hug her. His arms wrapped tight around her as hers encircled his neck. She rested her head against his shoulder as they embraced. "I'm glad to have you back." He whispered in her ear and then he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank again for reading! please leave any questions or comments you may have I love hearing from you.Thank you for the Kudos and the comments so far hope you guys enjoyed!


	4. Chapter 4

She woke to dawn breaking. Streams of amber light fell through her window and directly onto her face. Aloy had never been a morning person. She rubbed her eyes as she sat up in bed. Her legs were still asleep as she stumbled to the pitcher and basin of fresh water. She poured herself a glass and the rest into the basin. It was cool as she dipped the clean white cloth. Starting with her face she washed herself. It was the closest thing to a bath she had had in days. The only other bath had been a quick wash in a stream. 

When she had finished she slipped back on her clothing but left off her armor. A small piece of paper lay just outside of her door. Scribbled on the back she found, "I didn't want to wake you. I'll talk to Avad and get something's ready, if you want to pick up supplies. I left some extra shards by the door. P.S. the inn around the corner has great breakfast." The hand writing was terrible. It took Aloy a moment to decipher it. 

She headed down stairs and found the shards, along with a few gems and trinkets to trade.   
As she walked the streets she made a mental list of all of the things they would need. Provisions, bedrolls, poisons and antidote, new maps and so on until she reached the inn.   
It was a thin three story building with a wide wooden door that took up most of the front. She pushed one door open to find a brightly painted room with a counter on one side and plush booths along the wall of the other. A young man greeted her with way too much enthusiasm for so early in the morning. "Hi! Need a room? We have a few empty! One has a great view of the palace!" 

"No, thank you. My friend said you have a good breakfast?" She felt her stomach growl as the words came out of her mouth. 

"Absolutely! What can I get you?" His tone was wearing on her. She preferred not to speak to anyone for a few hours after waking and usually she didn't have to. 

"Umm I don't know. I guess whatever is good. Just surprise me."

"Alright! Go ahead and have a seat and I'll have something right out." He darted into what she assumed was the kitchen. 

She moved to the booth closet to the door. The Nora just ate fruit for breakfast. And usual while off to work or hunt. An older couple sat in the booth farthest from hers. They however only had drinks. She had no idea what to expect. 

She counted out the shards Erend had given her as she waited. It was far too much for the supplies they needed and much more than she had seen in a long time. Captain of the Vanguard must pay well. She counted out her own. She was glad Erend had offered to take her in. She wasn't sure how she would have paid for a room and supplies for the trip. 

A woman emerged from the kitchen this time. She carried a small tray with a several items on it. She placed it in front of Aloy and quickly returned from where she came. Luckily Aloy could recognize most of the food. A cup of a cloudy thick drink that smelled of honey, a stack of sliced fruit, two small eggs with runny yolks, and what appeared to be some cut of pork cooked in sweet spices. She devoured ever bite. She had never tasted anything like that meat and was wondering if she could ask for seconds but instead decided to be on her way. She paid the boy who was back behind the counter again and left.   
.....

She returned to the house with a pack full of supplies. Carrying supplies for two people was no easy task. She fell through the door and threw her bag against the floor. 

"Wow! How long are we going to be gone?" His voice came from the top of the stairs. He laughed as he descended. "Let me help you." Pulled the bag over to the desk and started to rummage through its contents. 

"Thanks" Aloy panted as she fell into a nearby chair. "Still a little out of shape from my time out."

"As long as you can still shoot I'm sure we will be fine." He winked back to her and they both smiled. 

"Hey why are you here so early?" She stood up and moved to help him sort their supplies. 

"When you're captain you make your own schedule. What took you so long?" 

"Had to practically search the whole city to find someone who sold medicinal plants and herbs." 

"Oh, I have been here for a bit and was just wondering where you were." He moved to the maps on the wall and began to study and compare them. Aloy followed bringing her newer smaller map. 

"Awe was someone getting worried?" She laughed as she elbowed his ribs nudging on. 

"Ha! I know you can take care of yourself." His words sounded confident but his cheeks went flush.   
Erend knew he couldn't do something as stupid as tell her how he felt. Not now. Not when she needed him. It could ruin everything and this was more important. But the image of her last night in only that tunic kept creeping its way into his thoughts. He had to focus. This wasn't the right time. Maybe when they returned. Three years and seeing her brought back the same feeling. He needed to focus. "So where is this place?" 

"Here." Aloy pointed to a place on the north east side of the map. It was the location she first saw a death bringer. Makers End. "I've been here once before so I'm familiar with the landscape but it’s a big area." 

"That's quite a walk."

"I can take care of that." She nodded to her spear with the device still attached to the end.   
They spend most of the right planning their route and their stops along the way where they could rest and resupply. It was the middle of the night before either of them realized how much time had passed. They trudged up the stairs to their rooms. With a quick goodnight they both slipped out of their clothes and into their beds. Within minutes both were asleep.  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm sorry my chapters are kind of short, but I promise they will be posted as often as I can. Bug me on tumblr at raemaddox. Feed back is always appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day followed the same pattern as the one before. Aloy awoke to find Erend had already gone. She grabbed a handful of berries from a bowl on the table and threw herself on the couch. Aloy thought about the few things she needed to do today. Hunt just outside the city, pack their supplies and she wanted to pick up a bottle of Erends favorite mead just in case there were any need for it on the trail.

Before the sun reached the center of the sky she was done. For a little while she wandered the city. She made her way through winding allies and broad streets. But eventually this grew old. She returned to the house, still empty. She decided to rest. It could be a long time before she would get such good sleep. She curled up in a padded chair and closed her eyes. 

When she woke the room was very different. The packs were by the door along with their weapons. Lamps and candles were lit but the light in the room was still dim. And a thin blanket covered her. 

His voice was low from the corner "did I wake you?" It was Erend he was studying the maps spread across the table. "I wasn't sure how long you had been asleep when I got home so I thought I'd let you rest."

She stretched out of the chair and pulled the blanket around her shoulders like a shawl. She yawned out "what time it is?" And began to slowly shuffle over to him. 

"Late. Around 8 I think" 

She leaned on to him so he could hold her up. "Thanks for the blanket. What are you looking for?" She tried to scan the map for any clues to what had caught his interest. 

His eyes continued to search the map. "I like to memorize the maps as well as I can. So hopefully we will never be lost. Why do you think I have all of these?" he gestured to the wall covered in every map imaginable. 

Aloy watched his eyes dart from point to point. She was impressed. She had never known anyone to memorize whole maps before. 

"Are you ready to head out in the morning?" He finally looked up from the map and started for the living area. He sat on the couch facing her. And watched her as she moved to sit next to him. 

"I'm ready to go but nervous to arrive." He laughed at her answer. Her brow furrowed at his response. 

He quickly stopped laughing and began explaining to her. "No I only laughed because it sounded like a riddle. Something I needed to decipher. Tell me what you mean?"

She couldn't find the words. They hung in the air around her. She kept trying to catch them but continuously missed. " I'm afraid of what we will find. Will Sylens be dead? Will he be gone? What if someone came after him?" She trailed off. "I don't know." She couldn't look at him. She stared at the pillow across from them. 

A moment passed and a warm hand pulled her chin back to face him. "Hey it'll be alright." His hand was comforting and his face was reassuring. She breathed out a heavy sigh. And her chin settled into his hand as his thumb softly stroked her jaw. 

They simultaneously froze. Both realizing the situation and quickly coming up with extraneous tasks to perform. 

"I need to grab my ummm... medicine pouch so I don't forget it." She bolted upstairs. 

"Right, I'll go fill the canteens so we don't have to in the morning." He pulled them from the stacks by the door and was gone. 

Aloy went to her window. She saw Erend round the corner with the canteens. She didn't mean to watch him but there he was. She couldn't take her eyes off him as he quickly stomped to the well. He ran his hand though his hair. And shook his head. She couldn't hear him but she knew it was about her. 

He looked up. Aloy quickly step to the side of the window out of his view. She peaked around the side to make sure he wasn't looking up to her. He was facing away reeling in the bucket for water. 

He whispered to himself, "I can't. I can't. I can't. She is making this so hard. And has no idea. Just stay in control. Don't say anything."

Aloy moved away from the window.  
What was wrong with him? She thought he liked her. But now he was sending all these mixed signals. She grabbed her pouch and placed it with everything else by the door. Erend walked in. He was silent as he put the canteens back. "Hey if there's anything you want to tell me..."Aloy shuffled her feet. "I'm always here to talk." 

Erend quickly shot out "nope." And gave a nervous smile "I mean I don't right now, but I'll keep that in mind. We better get to bed we have an early morning." 

They turned and headed to bed without another word.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This is my first fiction in along time. I'd love lot of feedback. Eventually this might get a little smuty, but I'll leave plot out of those and always put a warning before them. Thanks again! Feel free to bug me on Tumblr at raemaddox.


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